Selective dispensing apparatus for bottled products or the like

ABSTRACT

A simple, reliable, economical, primarily mechanical, normally low capacity, selective dispensing apparatus is provided for use in vending products such as bottled beverages or the like. The apparatus utilizes customer actuated mechanical means for selecting and releasing products after proper credit has been established and is adapted for single or dual price operation. Bottled products are stored by suspension of their necks on inclined pairs of parallel rails along which they are gravity fed as required to releasing stations where the lowermost bottles are normally engaged and held against release by the customer actuable product selecting and releasing means. The product selecting and releasing means are restrained by a captive link mechanism against actuation of more than one of same at one time and are also normally restrained, in one or more price dependent groups, by credit operable locking means against actuation until proper credit has been established. Coinage deposit by a customer need provide only a brief, single, electrical pulse for momentarily actuating a credit solenoid of particular price significance in order for such solenoid to unlock the locking means, thereby simplifying the requirements for coin handling accessories. Once unlocked, the locking means is held in unlocked condition by latching means that is, in turn, released by actuation of any product selecting and releasing means to restore the locking means to its locked condition until credit has again been established.

United States Patent [191 Craven et al.

[ Aug. 14, 1973 SELECTIVE DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR BOTTLED PRODUCTS OR THE LIKE [7 3] Assignee: The Vendo Company, Kansas City,

[22] Filed: Aug. 18, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 281,632

[52 U.S.Cl. ..221/12s,221/251 51 Int. Cl. 865g 59/06 [58 FieldoiSearch ..221/12s,2s1,29s

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,319,821 5/1967 Payne 221/125 Primary Examiner-Stanley 1'1. Tollberg AttorneyGordon D. Schmidt et al.

beverages or the like. The apparatus utilizes customer actuated mechanical means for selecting and releasing products after proper credit has been established and is adapted for single or dual price operation. Bottled products are stored by suspension of their necks on inclined pairs of parallel rails along which they are gravity fed as required to releasing stations where the lowermost bottles are normally engaged and held against releasebysths. sy t grl flqt e ssli sm releasing means. The product selecting and releasing means are restrained by a captive link mechanism against actuation of more than one of same at one time and are also normally restrained, in one or more price dependent groups, by credit operable locking means against actuation until proper credit has been established. Coinage deposit by a customer need provide only a brief, single, electrical pulse for momentarily actuating a credit solenoid of particular price significance in order for such solenoid to unlock the locking means, thereby simplifying the requirements for coin handling accessories. Once unlocked, the locking means is held in unlocked condition by latching means that is, in turn, released by actuation of any product selecting and releasing means to restore the locking means to its locked condition until credit has again been established.

18 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures Patented Aug" 14, 1973 3,752,360

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Aug. 14, 1973 3,752,360

3 Sheets-Sheet 13 w m a 4 #615 Patented Aug. 14, 1973 5 Sheets-Sheet 1',

SELECTIVE DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR BOTTLED PRODUCTS OR THE LIKE This invention relates to the art of dispensing and vending equipment and, more particularly, to an improved type of apparatus for selectively dispensing products such as bottled beverages.

Currently, bottled, products such as soft drinks are most commonly vended either through machines of the so-called staggered stack type in which the bottles are stored on their sides in a horizontally overlapped, staggered, stacked relationship within vertically extending magazines from which they may be successively'released by shifting a bail or other mechanism disposed at the bottom of the stack or through machines of the so-called slant-shelf type in which the bottles are stored on their sides in side-by-side, laterally rollable relationship upon a series of inclined shelves from which they may successively be longitudinally withdrawn past a lockable gate adjacent the lower end of each shelf. Although both of such types of vending machines for dispensing bottled products each have their own advantages for particular applications and environments, neither is ideally adapted for use in installations requiring a relatively low capacity machine which can be efficiently configured with a low physical profile, provide product selection and dual price operation if desired, and above all, maximize reliability in relatively unattended field locations while minimizing both initial costs and maintenance requirements.

Accordingly, the principle object of this invention is to provide improved dispensing apparatus uniquely satisfying the criteria just mentioned.

Another important object of the invention is to provide such apparatus in which the operating and control components, although combined and coordinated in novel manner, are relatively simple in construction and principle, highly reliable in operation, and primarily mechanical rather than electrical in nature.

Another important object of the invention is to provide such apparatus in which operating power for the product releasing mechanism is derived from a manual operation performed by the customer, feed of products to releasing stations is accomplished automatically by gravity, discharge of released products to a delivery station is by gravity, and credit dependent control over the article releasing mechanism by the associated coinhandling accessories requires only a single momentary electrical control pulse to register credit by energizing a high or low price solenoid forming a part of the apparatus, all of which contribute to the reliability and economy of the apparatus.

Still other advantages and objects of the invention will be made clear or become apparent to those skilled in the art from the accompanying drawings and description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the currently preferred embodiment of a selective bottled beverage vending machine incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is an internal, top plan fragmentary view of the operating mechanism of the machine with various parts broken away for clarity of illustration of the other parts;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on irregular line 3-3 of FIG. 2, with the operating knob assembly for the central product releasing station omitted for clarity of illustration of other parts and the product retaining member for the central station shown in an operated position such as for releasing a product;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3 with the positions of bottled products under different conditions to be described shown in solid and phantom lines;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of certain components of the mechanism hereinafter identified, which are somewhat difficult to illustrate clearly in the other views wherein such components are shown in their operative relationships;

FIG. 6 is an internal, top plan fragmentary view of a portion of the operating mechanism shown in FIG. 2, but including various components that were omitted for clarity in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on irregular line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 7, but omitting the high price controlling components to more clearly show the low price controlling components;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 10 and 11 are fragmentary cross-sectional views of certain preferred details of construction hereinafter described taken on lines 10-10 and llll respectively of FIG. 2.

The dispensing apparatus of the invention is shown in the drawings and described hereunder for illustrative purposes with reference to a currently preferred embodiment of the invention in a machine for vending bottled beverages generally designated 10 in the drawmgs.

Externally, and referring to FIG. 1, the machine 10 broadly includes an insulated cabinet 12 having a lid 14 that may be unlocked and opened by an operator to permit loading of bottled beverage products into the interior of the cabinet 12, which may be cooled by any conventional refrigeration means (not shown). The cabinet 12 is suitably supported at convenient height upon an underframe 16 and is provided with a product delivery station 18 to which products released by the apparatus hereinafter described are directed by conventional internal chute means (not shown) for access to the selected product by the customer to whom it is being vended. The cabinet 12 is also provided with one or more coin receiving slots 20 into which customers may make the coinage deposit required to establish credit for vending of the product selected, it being understood that any conventional type of coin handling equipment (not shown) may be housed within the cabinet 12 beneath the slots 20 for testing deposited coins, making change and the like, such freedom of choice of coinage equipment being one of the advantages of the dispensing apparatus of this invention wherein the only control signal required from the coin handling equipment is a single momentary electrical pulse to indicate the deposit of coinage establishing the amount of credit required for purchase of a product at each price at which product selections are to be offered from the machine 10; for example, if some products are to be offered for a nickel and others for a dime, the apparatus of this invention would require from the coinage equipment only a single pulse to indicate when 5 cents credit has been established and a different single pulse to indicate when 10 cents credit has been established, although, as will be explained, the nature of the apparatus is such that its operation is not adversely affected when coinage equipment is employed that generates both a 5 cent indicating pulse and a l cent indicating pulse upon deposit of a dime. Also evident in FIG. 1 are a plurality of manually rotatable, product selecting, operating knobs 22 located for customer convenience on top of the cabinet 12 adjacent a viewing window 24 through which the customer may see the normally imprinted, top cap on the next to be released product for each available selection.

Referring next to FIGS. 2-8, for the purpose of establishing preliminary identity and nomenclature of elements, the apparatus of the invention will be seen to include as primary elements, in addition to the operating knobs 22 and internal frame structure generally designated 26, an inclined product supporting and guiding assembly 28 for each product selection to be offered for successively supplying bottles 30 to a releasing station 32 for that selection represented by the zone at which the next to be released bottle 30 of that selection is located (See FIGS. 2 and 4); a rotatable primary product retaining member 34 having an associated cam 35 for each station 32 (FIGS. 2, (3 and 4); a swingable secondary product retaining element 36 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) for each station 32; a captive link mechanism 38 (FIGS. 2, 3 and a low price control bar 40 common to all of the selections (FIGS. 2, 3, 4, S, 6, 7 & 8); a high price control bar 42 common to only those selections to be vended at a higher price than the others (FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7), which along with other parts relating to high price operation may be omitted in a simplified single price version of the machine if all products are to be vended at a single price; a low price solenoid 44 (FIGS. 3, 6, 7 and 8); a high price solenoid 46 (FIGS. 3 and 7); a low price link 48 having an associated low price lock 50 (FIGS. 3, 6, 7 and 8); a high price link 52 having an associated high price lock 54 (FIGS. 3, 6 and 7); a latching member 56 common to the links 48 and 52 (FIGS. 3, 6, 7 and 8); and an optical auxiliary control or credit cancelling switch 58 (FIGS. 3, 6, 7 and 8). Other parts of the apparatus and additional attributes and relationships of the primary elements above-named will be identified and described hereinafter.

The product supporting and guiding structure 28 for each releasing station 32 is mounted by the internal frame structure 26 within the normally refrigerated interior of the cabinet 12 beneath the lid 14 thereof and broadly includes a pair of elongated, spaced, parallel, elevationally inclined rail assemblies 60 and 62, as best shown in FIG. 2, 4, 9 and l 1. Each rail assembly 60 and 62 is preferably formed as shown in FIG. 9 by an element 64 bent into generally T-shaped cross section to present a pair of opposite track portions 66 and 67 and a depending wall portion 68. The track portion 66 serves as a support and guide at one side for products 30 associated with one releasing station 32, while the track portion 67 performs similar functions in connection with the other side of products 30 associated with an adjacent releasing station 32. The elements 64 are secured by screw or bolt means 70 to brackets 72 forming a part of the internal frame structure 26. The walls 68 serve to separate the interior of the cabinet 12 into elongated chambers 74 each associated with a given releasing station 32 and adapted to receive the products 30 to be vended from that station 32. The rail assemblies 60 and 62 may be further supported adjacent their lower ends as shown in FIGS. 4 and 11 by a rivet or the like 76 extending through the assembly 60 or 62 and I portions 78 and 80 of the internal frame structure 26 between which the assembly 60 or 62 is sandwiched.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the opposed tracks 66 and 67 of the rail assemblies 60 and 62 associated with each product releasing station 32 are so spaced as to freely receive therebetween the neck portions 3] of bottled products immediately beneath the bulged section 33 thereof normally provided at the top of the bottle 30. The spacing between track portions 66 and 67 is chosen, however, for the given type of bottle product 30 to be vended from that releasing station 32, such that the bottles 30 will be suspended by the contact of their bulged portions 33 with the special coverings provided over the rack portions 66 and 67 now to be described.

Since the zone of contact between the bulged portions 33 of the products 30 with the supporting and guiding rail assemblies 60 and 62 is essentially in the nature of apoint contact, the resultant pressure per unit area exerted by the'weight of each product 30 upon the engaged surfaces of the supporting and guiding structures 28 is relatively quite high. Accordingly, in order to achieve reliable gravity feed of the products 30 along the inclined supporting and guiding structures 28 toward the lower ends of the rail assemblies 60 and 62 at which the releasing stations 32 are located, it is necessary to provide a facing surface over the track portions 66 and 67 that will have not only a very low coefficient of friction, but will also be highly resistant to wear under the conditions of high pressure contact with the products 30 just described. It has been found that these objects are best achieved in the preferred embodiment by providing a sheath 82 of molybdenum disulfide impregnated nylon material over each of the track portions 66 and 67. As best shown in FIG. 9, such sheaths 82 are preferably formed with a U-shaped cross section to fit tightly over the track portions 66 and 67, and they are additionally held in place by engagement of their upper stretches between the track portions 66 and 67 and the brackets 72.

With the preferred construction described, products 30 such as bottled beverages may be stored in the product supporting and guiding structure 28 associated with each releasing station 32 and, regardless of the number of bottles 30 within a given supporting and guiding structure 28 at any time, and with even a relatively moderate inclination of the assemblies 60 and 62 to maintain the low profile of the machine 10, such bottled products 30 are freely slidable along the low friction surfaces provided by the sheaths 82 toward the lower end of the rail assemblies 60 and 62 and the releasing stations 32, located adjacent thereto.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the portion 78 of the internal frame structure 26 is provided with openings 84 for each station 32 to clear the top of the next to be released bottle 30 as it moves to the releasing station 32. Such openings 84 also permit the cap upon the next to be released bottle 30 to be viewed through the window 24, so that a customer may visually select a product 30' from a particular station 32 based upon the flavor or other identifying information normally imprinted upon the cap.

The primary product retaining member 34 for each station 32 includes a downwardly extending blocking element 86 adapted to engage the lowermost bottle 30 along the leading side surface of the latter as at 88. The provision of such stopping or blocking contact between the retaining member 34 and the lowermost product 30 at a level substantially below the lowermost ends of the rail assemblies 60 and 62 is highly desirable in order to overcome the natural tendency of the products 30 in each supporting and guiding structure 28 to shingle forwardly, as may occur with the described type supporting and guiding structures 28 if the lowermost bottle 30 is retained only by blocking contact at a higher level on its neck 31 or bulged portion 33. As illustrated, the blocking elements 86 are preferably formed integrally with the main body 90 of the primary product retaining members 34 for rotation therewith as hereinafter described.

Each of the operating knobs 22 is secured to a shaft 92 rotatably mounted in the internal frame structure 26 and rotatably extends through a bore 94 in the body 90 of the corresponding retaining member 34.TI-Ie lower face of the body 90 of each retaining member? 34 is provided with a notch 96 of V-shaped cross section extending laterally from the lower end of the bore 94, which is adapted to cooperate with a roll pin 98 carried by the corresponding shaft 92 immediately beneath the body 90. Each shaft 92 is further provided with a clutch spring 100 in compression between a retainer 102 on the shaft 92 and a flange 104 therebelow forming a part of the internal frame structure 26. The spring 100 thus serves to normally bias the shaft 92 upwardly for seating of the roll pin 98 thereon within the notch 96 of the body 90 of the corresponding retaining member 34, so that, upon manual rotation of the operating knob 22, the associated primary retaining member 34"may be rotated along therewith. As will later be described, however, the primary retaining members 34 are normally locked in a position disposing their blocking elements 86 for preventing release of a lowermost product 30 from the corresponding release station 32 until the customer has established proper credit by the deposit of coinage required for a vending operation to be performed. The notches 96 and roll pins 98 provide protection for the mechanism of the machine when in such normal standby condition, in the event that someone should attempt to rotate a knob 22 without first establishing proper credit. In the latter situation, any knob 22 and its shaft 92 may be more or'less freely turned without damage to the retaining member 34 by virtue of the fact that the roll pin 98 will simply move out of the corresponding notch 96 against the yieldable bias of the clutch spring 100 and will freely pass over the lowermost surface of the body 90, while the retaining member 34 remains locked in its product retaining or blocking position.

The secondary product retaining element 36 is disposed beneath the portion 80 of the internal frame structure 26 and is pivotally mounted thereon by a pin or the like 106. Each secondary product retaining element 36 is generally elongated and is provided with a follower pin 108 that extends downwardly therefrom into a camming groove 110 provided in the upper surface of the primary retaining member 34 above the blocking element 86 thereof. The opposite end 112 of each secondary retaining element 36 normally is disposed out of the path of all products 30 in the associated structure 28 when the corresponding primary retainer 34 is in its standby or locked condition with its blocking element 86 retaining the lowermost product 30', as shown with respect to the rightmost stations 32 in FIG. 2. However, when a primary retaining member 34 is rotated to its product releasing position, as indicated with respect to the center station 32 in FIG. 2, the action of the camming groove upon the follower pin 108 swings the associated secondary retaining element 36 to a position disposing its end 112 within the path of the next to lowermost product 30 in the supporting and guiding structure 28 from whose releasing station 32 the lowermost product 30' is being released, so as to prevent inadvertent release of more than one product 30 from such releasing station 32 during any given product releasing operation. It will be noted that the level of engagement of the end 112 of the secondary retaining element 36 with the next to lowermost product 30 is disposed substantially above the zone of engagement 88 between a retained lowermost product 30' and the corresponding primary blocking element 86, but is quite sufficient for preventing release of a second product 30 and has the additional advantage that some momentary tendency toward shingling may be helpful in assuring the positive release of the lowermost product 30' from the releasing station 32 once the corresponding primary retaining member 34 has been rotated with its operating knob 22 to move its blocking element 86 out of the path of release for the lowennost product 30 from the corresponding releasing station 32. In FIG. 4, the lowermost product 30' and the product 30 immediately thereabove are depicted in solid lines with respect to the position they normally occupy while retained when the machine 110 is in its standby condition, and the phantom lines illustrate a later position of the products 30' and 30 during the course of a vending operation with the lowermost product 30' in the process of being released from the station 32 after rotation of the blocking element 86 to its dotted line position 86 Turning attention now to the control components of the machine 10, it will be understood from FIGS. 3 and 4 that the high price control bar 42 (if provided), the low price control bar 40 and the captive link mechanism 38 are superimposed in that order from top to bottom in sliding relationship to each other within a guide channel 114 formed as a part of the internal frame structure 26. It will also be noted that the cam 35 carried by each primary product retaining member 34 as hereinafter described is disposed between the low price control bar 40 and the captive link mechanism 38 at a level just above the latter. Because of the superimposed relationship of these parts when in their operative dispositions, their general configurations are shown individually in FIG. 5.

The first control function to be considered involves the necessity for preventing the simultaneous releasing of products 30 from more than one releasing station 32 after the mechanism has been conditioned by the establishment of proper credit for the vending of one of the products 30. This function is performed by the captive link mechanism 38 in conjunction with the earns 35 and an additional camming surface 124 on the body 90 itself of each primary product retaining member 34. As shown in FIG. 5, the captive link mechanism includes a plurality of generally I-I-shaped links 116 each having lipped cutouts 118 and 120 at opposite ends thereof, and each provided with an upstanding stud 122. It will be understood that the shafts 92 and the upper portion of the bodies 90 extend upwardly into the openings between adjacent individual links 116 presented by the cutouts 118 and 120. The links 116 are disposed for individual sliding movement within the channel 114, and there is a link 116 between each adjacent pair of primary retaining members 34. As best shown in FIG. 3, from a comparison of the rotated central retaining member 34 with the unrotated retaining member 34 on either side thereof, the upper portion of the bodies 90 which extend between adjacent links 116 are each provided with a camming surface 124 (also indicated in FIG. 2), which is adapted when any given primary retaining member 34 is rotated to push the link 116 disposed at the left thereof further to the left. The cam 35 associated with each primary retaining member 34 is provided with a square aperture 126 which fits over a cross-sectionally squared upper portion 128 of the body 90 of the corresponding retaining member 34, so that each cam 35 is rotated with the corresponding primary retaining member 34. Each cam 35 includes a hook surface 130 and a-stop surface 132. The normal standby position of the cams 35 relative to the links 116 and the studs 122 on the latter is illustrated in FIG. 2,

in connection with the retaining member 34 which is is shown in dotted lines in connection with the central retaining member 34 of FIG. 2. When any primary retaining member 34 is rotated to release a product from the corresponding releasing station 32, its camming surface 124 on .the main body 90 thereof moves the link 116 next adjacent at the left thereof further to the left, so that the stud 122 on such moved link 116 immediately underlies the hook surface 130 of the cam associated with the retaining member 34 disposed at the immediate left of the one being operated. The leftward movement of the immediately adjacent left link 116 causes similar movement of any other links 116 disposed further to the left, so that a stud 122 of a leftwardly moved link 116 underlies the hook surface 130 of the cam 35 for every primary retaining member 34 to the left of the operated member 34, thereby preventing simultaneous operative rotation of any of such leftward primary retaining members 34, by virtue of the engagement that would result between the hook surface 130 of the associated cam 35 and the stud 122 of a leftwardly shifted link. Concurrently with this blocking of simultaneous operation of retaining members 34 to the left of the first rotated member 34, it will be seen that the stop surface 132 of the operated member 34 moved into position to engage the stud 122 of the link 116 that is next adjacent on the right, thereby preventing any leftward movement of that link 122 as would be required for operation of the primary retaining; member 34 that is adjacent on the right to the member 34 first operated. It will further be understood that, by virtue of the end-to-end engagement of each of the rightwardly disposed links 116 with the ones adjacent thereto, any and all links 1 16 to the right of an operated primary retaining member 34 will be held against the leftward movement that would be required for a releasing operation of their associated retaining members 34.

Attention is next directed to the components utilized in controlling the locking or unlocking of the primary retainer members 34 for operation of any one thereof after establishment of proper credit. The low price control bar is normally held in the position illustrated in FIG. 8 by a spring 134 oppositely connected to an upwardly extending flange 136 on the bar 40 and to a tab 138 (FIG. 2) forming a part of the internal frame structure 26. Pin 140 extending upwardly from each cam 35 engage corresponding cut'outs 144 in the bar 40. It will be clear that, in order for any primary retaining member 34 to be operated to release a product 30 by rotation of such member 34 and its cam 35 to the position illustrated in connection with the central station 32 in FIG. 2, the low price bar 40 must be free to move to the left (as illustrated in the drawings) under the influence of the engagement of the pin 140 of its cam 35 with the concavity 142 of the respective cut-out Referring particularly to FIG. 8, however, it will be seen that the lower end of the low price link element 50, which is pivotally mounted upon a pin 146 carried by the internal frame structure 26, extends downwardly through a notch or opening 148 in the low price control bar 40 and is disposed to engage the rightmost edge of such opening 148 to preventany substantial leftward movement of the price control bar 40, as long as the lower end of the low price lock element 50 remains within the opening 148. Operation of any of the releasing members 34 is thus precluded until such locked relationship of the low price lock element 50 with the low price control bar 40 is altered.

The low price link 48 is reciprocably mounted upon pin 146 and another pm 150 carried by the internal frame structure 26, with such pins 146 and 150 passing through corresponding elongated slots 15.2 and 154 in low price link 48. The low price link 48 is normally held in its rightmost position, as shown in FIG. 8, by a spring 156 coupled between a tab 158 on the low price link 48 and an upward extension 160 on the latching member 56. A laterally bent car 162 atop the low price link 48 engages the left edge of an upward extension 164 on the low price lock 50 to urge the lock 50 into its locking relationship with the low price control bar 40 whenever the bar 40 is in its normal, right-biased position. An upwardly bent tab 166 on the internal frame structure 26 serves as a stop or guide for proper positioning of the low price lock 50 when in its locking disposition.

The left end of the low price link 48 is coupled by a pin or the like 168 with the armature 170 of the low price solenoid 44. Thus, whenever the solenoid 44 is even momentarily energized, the low price link 48 will be drawn to the left, which moves the car 162 away from the upward extension 164 of the lock 50, whereupon a spring 172 interconnected between the extension 164 of 'lock 50 and a leftwardly disposed tab 174 on link 48 swings the lock 50 in a' counterclockwise direction about the pin 146, as shown in FIG. 8, thereby withdrawing the lower end of the lock 50 from the opening 148 in the low price control bar 40. This frees the control bar 40 for leftward movement, upon operation of one of the knobs 22 to rotate the corresponding primary product retaining member, 34.

It will be appreciated, however, that, with only momentary energization of the solenoid 44, the link 48 would thereafter immediately tend tore-turn to its rightmost position under the influence of the spring 156, and the lock 50 would concurrently then return to its locking relationship with the control bar 40 under the influence of the car 162, in the absence of the provision of the latching member 56.

The latching member 56 is pivoted upon a pin 176 carried by the internal frame structure 26 and includes a pair of leftwardly extending arms 178 and 180, of which the former cooperates with the low price link 48 and the latter cooperates with the high price link 52 (if provided). The arm 178 carries a lateral tab 182 which extends over the top of the rightmost portion of the low price link 48. Such portion of the low price link 48 is notched from the top as at 184 to receive the tab 182 on the arm 178 when the link 48 is shifted to the left in FIG. 8 by even momentary energization of the low price solenoid 44. Although upon leftward shifting of the low price'link 48 the arm 178 could possibly be arranged to rotate by gravity to move the tab 182 into the notch 184 for latching the link 48 in its left shifted position, it will be seen that the spring 156 provides increased reliability by serving the dual purpose of positively biasing the latching member 56 in the desired counterclockwise direction for latching the link 48, as well as biasing the link 48 toward its normal rightmost position.

The low price control bar 40 is provided with an upstanding tab 186 which is adapted, upon leftward movement of the low price control bar 40 under the influence of operation of a primary retaining member 34, for engaging a lower extension 188 on the latching member 56 to swing the latter in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 8, sufficiently to lift the latching tab 182 out of the latching notch 184 of link 48, thereby permitting the link 48 to return to its normal rightmost position under the influence of spring 156 and the low price lock under the influence of the tab 162 to a disposition within the notch 148 for relocking the low price control bar 40 when the customer has released the operated knob 22 so that the bar 40 can move rightwardly to its normal position under the influence of spring 134. Even if the customer does not immediately release the operated knob 22, thereby holding bar 40 to the left, the link 48 will move under the bias of spring 156 so that the latching tab 182 cannot re-enter the notch 184 of the link 48 when the customer does release the knob 22, and the lock 50 will re-enter the opening 148 of bar 40 as soon as the latter is permitted to move to the right under the bias of spring 134.

A switch 58 may be provided and mounted on the internal frame structure 26 as shown in certain of the figures of the drawings, when needed, for controlling other functions of the machine 10 or the particular coinage equipment to be employed therein; for exam ple, it will be noted that with the low price control bar 40 in its normal position as shown in FIG. 8, the tab 186 is holding the operating arm 190 of the switch 58 in one position and that such arm 190 will be freed to actuate to its other position when the bar 40 is shifted to the left during a product releasing operation, so that the switch 58 may be used if desired to assure the interruption of energization of the solenoid 44 or to otherwise assure cancellation of a credit signal from the coinage equipment responsive to operation of any product releasing member 34.

Before leaving consideration of the construction of the low price control bar 40, it should be noted that a series of elongated slots 192 are provided therein for clearing the studs 122 on the links 116 of the underlying captive link mechanism 38. Also, the bar 40 is provided with a second opening or notch 194 merely for the purpose of clearing the high price lock 54 hereinafter to be described, it being noted that the notch 194 is sufficiently longer than the opening or notch 148 that the low price control bar 40 is never blocked by the high price lock 54.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 7 of the drawing, it will be seen that the high price link 52 is also reciprocably mounted on the pins 146 and 150 and, by virtue of elongated slots 196 and 198, the high price link 52 is free to shift from the normal position illustrated in FIG. 7 to a leftward position whenever the high price solenoid 46 is energized. The high price solenoid 46 has its armature 200 coupled with the high price link 52 by a pin or the like 202. The high price lock 54 is similar in construction and operation to the low price lock 50, but is pivoted upon the pin 150 and normally extends into blocking relationship with the high price control bar 42 by virtue of the lower end of the lock 54 entering a notch-like opening 204 in the bar 42. The lower end of .the high price lock 54 is normally urged into the notch 204 by a laterally extending ear 206 on the link 52 that is adapted to engage the left edge of an upper extension 208 on the lock 54. When the high price link 52 is reciprocated to the left by energization of the high price solenoid 46, a spring 210 connected between the upward extension 208 on lock 54 and an upward extension 212 on the link 52 rotates the high price lock 54 in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 7 to withdraw the lower end thereof from the notch 204.

As will likely be most clear from FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 6, although the low price bar 40 is common to all of the primary retaining members 34 associated with the various releasing stations 32, the high price bar 42, if it is provided at all in order to accomplish dual pricing operation, will normally be associated with only some of the more leftwardly disposed retaining members 34 and releasing stations 32. In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the high price control bar 42 is configured to exert control over only the two leftmost retaining members 34 shown in the drawings. As seen in FIGS. 2, and 5, the high price control bar includes a blocking surface 214 normally disposed immediately to the left of the pin 140 on the cam 35 of each primary retaining member 34 for those releasing stations 32 at which products 30 are to be vended at a higher price than from the remaining stations 32. As long as the high price control bar 42 is held in its rightmost standby position with the lock 54 within notch 204, it will be clear that the retaining members 34 associated with the high price stations 32 cannot be operated because of the blocking of rotation of the pins 140 on the associated cams 35 against the surfaces 214 of the high price control bar 42. When the high price solenoid 46 is even momentarily energized, however, the high price link 52 is reciprocated to the left and the lock 54 is withdrawn from the notch 204 to permit leftward shifting of the high price bar 42 upon operation of either of two leftmost retaining members 34.

i The upper rightmost portion of the high price link 52 is provided with a notch 218 for receiving a lateral car 220 on the arm of the latching member 56 when the link 52 is reciprocated to the left by the solenoid 46. The operation of the upstanding tab 186 on the low price control bar 40 in rotating the latching member 56 to unlatch the high price link 52, by swinging the tab 220 out of the notch 218, is the same as previously described for the tab 182 associated with the low price link 48. During operation of a retaining member 34 associated with a releasing station 32 for products to be vended at the high price, the pins 140 of such releasing members still move the low price control bar 40, as well as the high price control bar 42, to the left, although operation of a low price retaining member 34 in no way affects the high price bar 42. This occurs because the lateral tab 206 on the link 52, besides being disposed to the left of the extension 208 of the high price lock 54 for affecting the operation of the latter, is also extended and disposed to the right of a facing surface 222 on the low price link 48, so that the low price link 48 will be reciprocated to the left with the high price link 52 whenever the high price solenoid 46 is energized, even though and in order that the low price solenoid 44 need not be simultaneously energized. Simultaneous shifting of the low price link 48 with the high price link 52 is necessary in order to unlock the low price control bar 40, which must reciprocate to the left when any retaining member 34 associated with either a high or low price station 32 is operated. Accordingly, if it should be more convenient with particular coinage equipment, ther is no objection to also energizing the low price solenoid 44 whenever the high price solenoid 46 is energized, but, this is rendered unnecessary by the abovementioned action of the tab 206.

In the operation of the machine 10, and while it is in standby condition awaiting the establishment of credit through the deposit by a customer of suitable coinage in a slot 20, the links 48 and 52 are in their normal rightmost positions, the low and high price locks 50 and 54 are respectively locking the low and high price control bars 40 and 42, and the latter are preventing rotation of the various primary product retaining members 34 associated therewith, so that the blocking portions 86 of the retaining members 34 will remain in their normal positions retaining the lowermost product 30' at each releasing station 32. If someone should attempt to rotate an operating knob 22 without first establishing proper credit, the roll pin 98 will emerge from the groove 96 of the corresponding primary retaining member 34 so that neither will any product 30 be dispensed nor any damage done to the machine 10.-

Assume for purposes of illustration that the products 30 associated with the two leftmost releasing stations 32 in the drawings are to be vended at the high price of a dime and that the three remaining stations 32 at the right in the drawings are for vending products 30 at a low price of a nickel. A customer viewing the caps on the tops of the products 30' next to be released from each of the stations 32, as same are held in readiness for release beneath the window 24, may select any one of the products to be vended for a nickel or either one of the products to be vended for a dime. Assuming that he selects a product priced at a nickel, he will then deposit a nickel in the appropriate coin slot 20, which will thereby actuate any of various types of conventional coin handling accessories to generate at least a single momentary pulse that is applied to the low price solenoid 44 through electrical connections (not shown). Upon energization of the low price solenoid 44, the low price link 48 will be reciprocated to the left as shown in drawings, thereby withdrawing the low price lock 50 from the notch 148 of the low price control bar 40. As the low price link 48 is reciprocated to the left, the latching member 56 will rotate counterclockwise as shown in the drawings to move the latching ear or tab 182 into the latching notch 184 in the low price link 48 to hold the link 48 in its leftwardly reciprocated position, even though the momentary energizing pulse applied to low price solenoid 44 will normally have terminated. In this condition, the low price control bar 40 is unlocked so that any one of the three rightmost operating knobs 22 may be rotated by the customer for release of the selected product 30' waiting at the corresponding releasing station 32. As the selected operating knob 22 is rotated by the customer, the corresponding primary retaining member 34 commences to rotate as shown in connection with the central station 32 depicted in FIG. 2. As the primary retaining member 34 commences to turn, the action of the camming groove upon the follower pin 108 of the associated secondary retaining member 36 quickly moves the secondary retaining member 36 into a position for holding the next to lowest product 30 on the associated rail assemblies 60 and 62, while the lowermost product 30' is not yet cleared for release from the corresponding station 32. As the primary retaining member 34 'is further rotated by the operating torque applied by the customer to the corresponding knob 22, the blocking element 86 continues to move toward the product releasing position 86 depicted in connection with the center station 32 in FIG. 3 and also in dotted lines in FIG. 4. When the blocking element 86 has moved sufficiently to clear the lowermost bottle product 30', the latter slides off the lower end of the corresponding rail assemblies 60 and 62 and is released from the corresponding station 32 for travel by gravity down any suitable form of chute means (not shown) for delivery of such product at the delivery station 18, from which it may be removed by the customer.

During the rotation of the primary retaining member 34 that is selected and being actuated by the customer, the camming surface 124 on the body 90 of the member 34 will shift the leftwardly disposed captive links 116 to the left so that their studs 122 will block simultaneous rotation of any other primary retaining members 34 to the left by engaging their hook surfaces 30; such rotation of the primary retaining member 34 being operated will concurrently move the blocking surface 132 of its cam 35 into position for blocking the rightwardly adjacent captive link 116 against leftward movement, and because of their successive interengagement, all of the links 116 that may lie to the right of the operated retaining member 34 will thereby be held against the leftward shifting movement that is required for a dispensing operation of their corresponding retaining members 34, as long as the first selected retaining member 34 remains in its rotated position.

As the selected primary retaining member 34 is 'fully rotated to its product releasing position, the leftward movement of the low price control bar 40 caused by engagement of the pin with the left side of the corresponding concavity 142 of the bar 40 will move the tab 186 on the bar 40 to the position illustrated in FIG. 7, at which the tab 186 imparts sufficient clockwise rotation to the latching member 56 to raise the latching tab 182 out of the latching notch 184 on the low price link 48, whereupon the link 48 will return to its normal rightward position illustrated in FIG. 8 under the influence of spring I56, presuming that the pulse energizing the low price solenoid 44 has been terminated. As above noted, if the machine 10 employs coinage equipment in which the energizing pulse for solenoid 44 would not be otherwise terminated by this time, a

switch 58 may be provided that will assure termination of the energizing pulse as the control bar 40 and tab 186 are shifted to the left away from the actuating arm 190 of the switch 58.

Upon delivery of the selected product 30 to the delivery station 18, the customer will normally release any torque force being applied to the selected operating knob 22, so that both the low price control bar 40 and the previously actuated primary retaining member 34 will be returned to their standby positions under the influence of the spring 134. This positions the low price control bar 40 in its normal rightward position as shown in the drawings for reception of the locking element 50 in the notch 148 to relock the low price control bar 40 as the low price link 48 returns to its rightward standby position after unlatching of the latching member 56. As the previously actuated primary releasing member 34 rotates back to its normal or standby position, it first positions blocking element 86 thereof to block the corresponding releasing station 32 at the lower end of the associated rail assemblies 60 and 62, and then withdraws the secondary retaining member 36 to permit the product 30 previously held by the latter to slide downwardly to the releasing station 32 where it will be retained as the next-to-be released product 30' until the next cycle of operation of the machine 10. Other products 30 thereabove on the same rail assemblies 60 and 62 slide by gravity down the latter into positions of readiness for successive release during subsequent cycles of the machine 10.

As above noted, the simplest version of the machine may be constructed to vend products 30 only at a single price, in which event the high price control bar 42 and the other high price components associated therewith may simply be omitted. However, if the preferred form of machine, which provides for the vending of certain products at a low price and certain other products at a high price, the high price control bar 42 and its associated components will be included. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that by varying the length of the high price control bar 42, a greater or lesser number of stations 32 may be served and controlled by the high price components for the vending of products 30 at the higher price. Moreover, those skilled in the art will recognize that, if desired, provision could be made for handling products ataddi tional price levels by following the disclosed principles of this invention in providing control bars and associated components similar to the bar 42 and its associated components for controlling dispensing at one or more additional price levels.

In the operation of the preferred embodiment of the machine 10 including the high price control bar 42 and its associated components, the action is essentially analogous to that described above for vending a product 30 from the lower priced group of stations 32. Thus, upon deposit of coinage equalling the predetermined higher price, the coingage equipment will apply an energizing pulse to the high price solenoid 46, which will thereby pull the high price link 52 to its leftward actuated position, and the spring 210 will rotate the high price lock element 54 out of the notch 204 of the high price control bar 42. It is worthy of note that the notch 194 of the low price control bar 40 is of sufficient length that the low price bar 40 can be operated without interference from the high price lock element 54. It is reiterated that, by virtue of the engagement of tab 206 on the high price link 52 with the surface 222 on the low price link 48, both of the links 48 and 52 will be shifted to the left upon energization of the high price solenoid 46, and both will be releasably latched in such actuated position by the latching member 56. After release of the selected high priced product 30', during which both of the control bars 40 and 42 were shifted toward the left, the release of operating torque upon the control knob 22 by thecustomer will permit the selected high price retaining member 34 to return to its standby position and concurrently permit both the low and high price control bars 40 and 42 to shift back to their rightward normal positions for return of the locking elements 50 and 54 into the notches 148 and 204 respectively for relocking both of the control bars 40 and 42 and all of their associated primary retaining members 34. It will be understood that the unlatching of the links 48 and 52 through clockwise rotation of the latching member 56 by the tab 186 occurs during high price operation in substantially the same manner as described above for low price operation.

It should thus be clear that the invention is well adapted to achieve the desirable objectives and advantages hereinbefore mentioned. Those skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that various minor modifications in details of construction might be made without departing from thegist or essence of the invention. Accordingly, the invention should be deemed limited only by the fair scope of the claims that follow,

We claim:

1. Product dispensing apparatus comprising:

means presenting a certain station from which products are to be successively released;

means operably associated with said certain station for supplying successive products thereto; primary product retaining means operably associated with said certain station and adapted for being shifted between a standby position for normally blocking the product next to be released from said certain station against release therefrom and an actuated position for clearing said next to be released product for release from said certain station;

first control means operably coupled with said primary retaining means and adapted for being shifted between a standby position and an actuated position responsive to shifting of said primary retaining means from its standby position to its actuated position, said primary retaining means being so shiftable only when said first control means is shiftable concurrently therewith;

means normally urging said first control means and said primary retaining means toward their standby positions, first locking means operably coupled with said first control means and adapted to be shifted between a standby position for normally locking said first control means in its standby position and an actuated position for unlocking said first control means to permit shifting of the latter to its actuated position upon shifting of said primary retaining means from its standby to its actuated position;

means normally urging said first locking means toward its standby position, first credit responsive means operably coupled with said first locking means for shifting the latter from its standby position to its actuated position when said credit responsive means is operated;

latching means operably coupled with said first locking means and shiftable between a latching position for latching said first locking means in its actuated position and a releasing position for unlatching said locking means to permit the latter to return to its standby position;

means normally urging said latching means toward its latching position;

operating means operably coupled with said primary retaining means for shifting the latter from its standby position to its actuated position when said operating means is operated and said locking means is in its actuated position permitting shifting of said first control means from its standby to its actuated position; and

restoring means operably coupled with said latching means and operable responsive to shifting of said first control means from its standby position to its actuated position for shifting said latching means from its latching position to its releasing position whenever said operating means is operated to shift said primary retaining means and, in turn, said first control means from their standby to their actuated positions.

2. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1 for dispensing bottled products having uppermost head portions, intermediate neck portions and lower main portions with said neck portions being of lesser transverse dimension than said head and main portions, wherein said product supplying means includes a pair of elongated, parallel, inclined rails spaced apart a distance greater than the transverse dimension of said neck portions and less than the transverse dimension of said head portions for supporting said products in suspended relationship to said rails with their neck portions between the rails and with their head portions in sliding engagement with the rails for guided gravitational movement of the products toward the lower end of the rails and said certain station.

3. In apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said rails are provided with surfaces of low friction, wear resistant material disposed to be engaged by said head portions of products supported thereon to assure free sliding movement of the products along the rails with minimum wear and while requiring minimum inclination of the rails to horizontal.

4. In apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said surfaces are provided by facing sheathes of molybdenum disultide impregnated nylon material upon said rails.

5. In appartus as set forthin claim 2, wherein said primary retaining means includes a rotatable member having a depending blocking element disposed to engage said main portion of the lowermost product to retain said lowermost product in substantially vertical disposition when said primary retaining means is in its standby position.

6. In apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said operating means includes a rotatable knob means exposed and adapted for manual rotation by a customer regardless of whether said first credit responsive means has been operated, and slip coupling means operably coupling said knob means with said primary retaining means for rotation of said primary retaining means with said knob means when said locking means is in its unlocking position and for rotation of said knob means relative to said primary retaining means when said locking means is in its standby position locking said primary retaining means in its standby position.

7. In apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said slip coupling means includes a groove in said primary retaining means, a detent rotatable with said knob means and normally received within said groove, and means for normally biasing said detent toward said groove but yieldable to permit movement of said detent out of said groove when the knob means is rotated without the primary retaining means having been unlocked by the establishment of proper credit.

8. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said supplying means include inclined product supporting and guiding rails, and there is provided secondary retaining means shiftable between an inactive position clearing the next to lowermost product on said rails for movement toward said certain station and a blocking position for engaging said next to lowermost product to prevent movement thereof toward said certain station, and means operaby coupling said secondary retaining means with said primary retaining means for shifting of said secondary retaining means from its inactive position to its blocking position as said primary retaining means is shifted from its standby position to its actuated position.

9. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means coupling said secondary retaining means with said primary retaining means includes cam surface means on said primary retaining means, means'pivotally mounting said secondary retaining means for swinging movement, and follower means on said secondary retaining means operably associated with said cam surface means on said primary retaining means.

10. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said primary retaining means is rotatable, said first control means includes a reciprocal bar, and said primary retaining means includes structure engagable with said bar for reciprocating the bar as the primary retaining means is rotated.

l 1. In apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said first locking means includes a reciprocable link and a swingable lock element, said lock element being normally engaged with said bar to prevent reciprocation of the bar when said link is in its normal position, said link being operably coupled with said lock element for withdrawing the lock element from said engagement with said bar to permit movement of the bar when the link is moved to an actuated position.

12. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1 1, wherein said first credit responsive means includes a solenoid operably coupled with said link for moving said link to its actuated position.

13. In apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said link is provided with a notch, and said latching means includes a rotatable member having a tab receivable within said notch whenever said solenoid is even momentarily energized.

14. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein is provided at least one additional station from which products different from those handled by said certain station are released, there being an additional primary product retaining means and an additional operating means as aforesaid for each additional station, said first control means, first locking means, first credit responsive means, latching means and restoring means being common to all of said stations.

15. In apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein is provided captive link means operably coupled with said primary retaining means of all of said stations for preventing simultaneous shifting of more than one primary retaining means from its standby to its actuated position.

16. In apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein is provided: second control means operably coupled with said additional primary retaining means for at least one additional station and adapted for being shifted between a standby position and an actuated position responsive to shifting of said additional primary retaining means from its standby to its actuated position, said additional primary retaining means being so shiftable only when said second control means is shiftable concurrently therewith; means normally urging said second control means and said additional primary retaining means toward their standby positions; second locking means operably coupled with said second control means and adapted to be shifted between a standby position for normally locking said second control means in its standby position and an actuated position for unlocking said second control means to permit shifting of the latter to its actuated position upon shifting of said additional primary retaining means from its standby to its actuated position; means normally urging said second locking means toward its standby position; second credit responsive means operably coupled with said second locking means for shifting the latter from its standby position to its actuated position when said second credit responsive means is operated; said second locking means being operably coupled with said first locking means for shifting of said first locking means from its standby position to its actuated position responsive to and whenever said second locking means is shifted from its standby to its actuated position.

17. In apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein each of said primary retaining means is rotatable, each of said first and second control means includes a respective reciprocal bar, each of said primary retaining means includes structure engagable with at least said bar of said first control means for reciprocating that bar as the primary retaining means is rotated, and the primary retaining means for at least said one additional primary retaining means includes structure engagable with said bar of said second control means for reciprocating that bar as said one additional primary retaining means is rotated.

18. In apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said first and second locking means each includes a respective reciprocable link and a respective swingable lock element, said lock elements being normally engaged with the corresponding of said bars to prevent reciprocation of the bars when said links are in their normal positions, said links being operably coupled with the corresponding of said lock elements for withdrawing the lock elements from said engagement with said bars to permit reciprocation of the bars when the links are movedto an actuated position. 

1. Product dispensing apparatus comprising: means presenting a certain station from which products are to be successively released; means operably associated with said certain station for supplying successive products thereto; primary product retaining means operably associated with said certain station and adapted for being shifted between a standby position for normally blocking the product next to be released from said certain station against release therefrom and an actuated position for clearing said next to be released product for release from said certain station; first control means operably coupled with said primary retaining means and adapted for being shifted between a standby position and an actuated position responsive to shifting of said primary retaining means from its standby position to its actuated position, said primary retaining means being so shiftable only when said first control means is shiftable concurrently therewith; means normally urging said first control means and said primary retaining means toward their standby positions, first locking means operably coupled with said first control means and adapted to be shifted between a standby position for normally locking said first control means in its standby position and an actuated position for unlocking said first control means to permit shifting of the latter to its actuated position upon shifting of said primary retaining means from its standby to its actuated position; means normally urging said first locking means toward its standby position, first credit responsive means operably coupled with said first locking means for shifting the latter from its standby position to its actuated position when said credit responsive means is operated; latching means operably coupled with said first locking means and shiftable between a latching position for latching said first locking means in its actuated position and a releasing position for unlatching said locking means to permit the latter to return to its standby position; means normally urging said latching means toward its latching position; operating means operably coupled with said primary retaining means for shifting the latter from its standby position to its actuated position when said operating means is operated and said locking means is in its actuated position permitting shifting of said first control means from its standby to its actuated position; and restoring means operably coupled with said laTching means and operable responsive to shifting of said first control means from its standby position to its actuated position for shifting said latching means from its latching position to its releasing position whenever said operating means is operated to shift said primary retaining means and, in turn, said first control means from their standby to their actuated positions.
 2. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1 for dispensing bottled products having uppermost head portions, intermediate neck portions and lower main portions with said neck portions being of lesser transverse dimension than said head and main portions, wherein said product supplying means includes a pair of elongated, parallel, inclined rails spaced apart a distance greater than the transverse dimension of said neck portions and less than the transverse dimension of said head portions for supporting said products in suspended relationship to said rails with their neck portions between the rails and with their head portions in sliding engagement with the rails for guided gravitational movement of the products toward the lower end of the rails and said certain station.
 3. In apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said rails are provided with surfaces of low friction, wear resistant material disposed to be engaged by said head portions of products supported thereon to assure free sliding movement of the products along the rails with minimum wear and while requiring minimum inclination of the rails to horizontal.
 4. In apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said surfaces are provided by facing sheathes of molybdenum disulfide impregnated nylon material upon said rails.
 5. In appartus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said primary retaining means includes a rotatable member having a depending blocking element disposed to engage said main portion of the lowermost product to retain said lowermost product in substantially vertical disposition when said primary retaining means is in its standby position.
 6. In apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said operating means includes a rotatable knob means exposed and adapted for manual rotation by a customer regardless of whether said first credit responsive means has been operated, and slip coupling means operably coupling said knob means with said primary retaining means for rotation of said primary retaining means with said knob means when said locking means is in its unlocking position and for rotation of said knob means relative to said primary retaining means when said locking means is in its standby position locking said primary retaining means in its standby position.
 7. In apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said slip coupling means includes a groove in said primary retaining means, a detent rotatable with said knob means and normally received within said groove, and means for normally biasing said detent toward said groove but yieldable to permit movement of said detent out of said groove when the knob means is rotated without the primary retaining means having been unlocked by the establishment of proper credit.
 8. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said supplying means include inclined product supporting and guiding rails, and there is provided secondary retaining means shiftable between an inactive position clearing the next to lowermost product on said rails for movement toward said certain station and a blocking position for engaging said next to lowermost product to prevent movement thereof toward said certain station, and means operaby coupling said secondary retaining means with said primary retaining means for shifting of said secondary retaining means from its inactive position to its blocking position as said primary retaining means is shifted from its standby position to its actuated position.
 9. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means coupling said secondary retaining means with said primary retaining means includes cam surface means on said primary retaining means, means pIvotally mounting said secondary retaining means for swinging movement, and follower means on said secondary retaining means operably associated with said cam surface means on said primary retaining means.
 10. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said primary retaining means is rotatable, said first control means includes a reciprocal bar, and said primary retaining means includes structure engagable with said bar for reciprocating the bar as the primary retaining means is rotated.
 11. In apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said first locking means includes a reciprocable link and a swingable lock element, said lock element being normally engaged with said bar to prevent reciprocation of the bar when said link is in its normal position, said link being operably coupled with said lock element for withdrawing the lock element from said engagement with said bar to permit movement of the bar when the link is moved to an actuated position.
 12. In apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said first credit responsive means includes a solenoid operably coupled with said link for moving said link to its actuated position.
 13. In apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said link is provided with a notch, and said latching means includes a rotatable member having a tab receivable within said notch whenever said solenoid is even momentarily energized.
 14. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein is provided at least one additional station from which products different from those handled by said certain station are released, there being an additional primary product retaining means and an additional operating means as aforesaid for each additional station, said first control means, first locking means, first credit responsive means, latching means and restoring means being common to all of said stations.
 15. In apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein is provided captive link means operably coupled with said primary retaining means of all of said stations for preventing simultaneous shifting of more than one primary retaining means from its standby to its actuated position.
 16. In apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein is provided: second control means operably coupled with said additional primary retaining means for at least one additional station and adapted for being shifted between a standby position and an actuated position responsive to shifting of said additional primary retaining means from its standby to its actuated position, said additional primary retaining means being so shiftable only when said second control means is shiftable concurrently therewith; means normally urging said second control means and said additional primary retaining means toward their standby positions; second locking means operably coupled with said second control means and adapted to be shifted between a standby position for normally locking said second control means in its standby position and an actuated position for unlocking said second control means to permit shifting of the latter to its actuated position upon shifting of said additional primary retaining means from its standby to its actuated position; means normally urging said second locking means toward its standby position; second credit responsive means operably coupled with said second locking means for shifting the latter from its standby position to its actuated position when said second credit responsive means is operated; said second locking means being operably coupled with said first locking means for shifting of said first locking means from its standby position to its actuated position responsive to and whenever said second locking means is shifted from its standby to its actuated position.
 17. In apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein each of said primary retaining means is rotatable, each of said first and second control means includes a respective reciprocal bar, each of said primary retaining means includes structure engagable with at least said bar of said first controL means for reciprocating that bar as the primary retaining means is rotated, and the primary retaining means for at least said one additional primary retaining means includes structure engagable with said bar of said second control means for reciprocating that bar as said one additional primary retaining means is rotated.
 18. In apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said first and second locking means each includes a respective reciprocable link and a respective swingable lock element, said lock elements being normally engaged with the corresponding of said bars to prevent reciprocation of the bars when said links are in their normal positions, said links being operably coupled with the corresponding of said lock elements for withdrawing the lock elements from said engagement with said bars to permit reciprocation of the bars when the links are moved to an actuated position. 